The Farr Side: Oscar predictions

Hollywood is in a tizzy over who will take home an Academy Award this year. This is the first time I can remember that the Academy did it right with whom they chose to honor.

The 86th annual Academy Awards will air at 7 p.m. EST Sunday on ABC.

The list of nine Best Picture nominees showcases how impressive the film industry was over the past 12 months. The artistry, subject matter, stories and performances that make up these hopefuls are some of the best ever captured on film.

When it comes down to it, the race for Best Picture is among “American Hustle,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Gravity” and “12 Years A Slave.”

“American Hustle” has a dream cast and “Dallas Buyers Club” has the year’s best performances and a relevant storyline. “Gravity” has marksmanship of greatness, and “12 Years A Slave” illustrates the power of the human spirit.

My pick would be “Gravity.” Sandra Bullock gave the performance of her career, even topping her Oscar-winning Best Actress for “The Blind Side.” Although Bullock made the movie for me, I don’t see her taking Oscar home this time.

Up for Best Actress this year with Bullock are Amy Adams (“American Hustle”), Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), Judi Dench (“Philomena”) and Meryl Streep (“August: Osage County”).

I’m going with Blanchett for her role in the Woody Allen film “Blue Jasmine.” Adams could pull an upset and I wouldn’t be upset. Her body of work could warrant her the win, as Oscar voters tend to look beyond the nominated role when handing out Academy Awards.

Matthew McConaughey has Best Actor in the bag for “Dallas Buyers Club.” Aside from his stellar performance in this film, McConaughey’s impressive body of work has yet to be recognized by the academy.